Korean Journal of Community Nutrition

Original Articles

[English]
Age-related Circulating Inflammatory Markers and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Korean Women: Ho Kyung Kwak, Mi Joung Kim; Korean J Community Nutr 2009;14(4):451-461. Published online August 31, 2009

Abstract PDF: The purpose of this study was to investigate the age-related changes of cardiovascular disease risk factors and inflammatory markers in non-obese Korean women. Subjects were 112 women over 20 years old with body mass index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m2 and were divided into 3 groups (< 40 years, 40~59 years, > or = 60 years). Mean weight and BMI in the oldest group were significantly higher than those in the other 2 younger groups (P <0.05). Mean total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio (BAR) in the oldest group were significantly higher than those in the youngest group (P <0.05), and mean HDL-cholesterol of the oldest group was significantly lower than that of the youngest group (P <0.05). The older-aged group showed significantly higher mean values of atherogenic index (AI) and LDL/HDL ratio (P <0.05) than the respective younger-aged group, and AI was significantly correlated with age, nitric oxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (P <0.01). In addition, mean vascular cell adhesion molecule-l (VCAM-1) tended to be higher in the older-aged group than the younger group. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a proinflammatory maker, was significantly positively correlated with serum homocysteine, a cardiovascular disease risk factor (P <0.01). In addition, a significantly positive correlation was observed between C-reactive protein and BAR (P <0.01). Overall results suggested that the aging might affect the increase of cardiovascular disease risk factors including the serum lipid profiles, weight and BMI, and age-related increases of weight and BMI might play a role in changes in certain biomarkers of inflammation.

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[English]
Effects of Folic Acid or Ascorbate Supplementation on Plasma Homocysteine Levels and Oxidative Stress in Korean Adults with Impaired Fasting Glucose: Mir Ri Hwang, Min Ho Shin, Jung Ae Rhee, Sun Seog Kweon, Hyeon Sook Lim; Korean J Community Nutr 2008;13(2):263-275. Published online April 30, 2008

Abstract PDF: Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is one of significant risk factors of developing diabetes. The persons with IFG are, thus, an important target group for primary prevention of diabetes. It is well known that plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased in poor folate nutritional status. Elevated level of plasma homocysteine is considered as a marker of enhanced oxidative stress. In addition, the protective effect against oxidative stress may be diminished in poor antioxidative nutrient status as vitamin C. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate nutritional status of folate and vitamin C in the patients with type 2 diabetes or IFG. This study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folic acid or vitamin C on plasma concentrations of homocysteine, oxidized LDL, and lipids and on the activity of plasma anti-oxidative enzyme in patients with IFG. A total of 97 patients with IFG were participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folatesupplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A were received 1,000 mg of vitamin C, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily for 4 weeks. No change in plasma concentrations of vitamin C, lipids, and oxidized LDL and the activity of GSH-Px were observed in vitamin C-supplemented group (A + FA) and folate-supplemented group (F + FA) compared to the placebo group (C + A). Only the folate-supplemented group (F + FA) had significantly increased average serum folate concentration and lowered plasma homocysteine concentration compared to the placebo group (C + A). Thus, it should be recommended the patients with IFG to increase folate intake through diets and, if it is not sufficient, to take folic acid supplements to prevent the development of complications induced by hyperhomocysteinemia as well as oxidative stress.

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[English]
Plasma Total Homocysteine, Folate and Vitamin B12 Concentrations in Patients with Coronary Stenosis: Hyeon Sook Lim, Young Ran Heo; Korean J Community Nutr 2005;10(6):963-970. Published online December 31, 2005

Abstract PDF: Recently elevated plasma homocysteine concentration is considered an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and thrombosis with coronary artery disease. Folate and vitamin B12 are cofactors and closely related with metabolism of homocysteine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation between homocysteine and folate and vitamin B12 in patients with ischemic heart disease. Twenty-six patients, in whom coronary angiographic finding revealed more than 50% of stenosis at least in one coronary vessel were enrolled as the patient group, and thirty subjects, in whom angiographic finding revealed in not significant stenosis, but complained of chest pain, were selected as the control group. Fasting venous blood was obtained and measured the concentration of plasma total homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 by high performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection method. We examined the correlation between homocysteine and folate and/or vitamin B12 in the control group and the patient group, respectively. Compared with the control group, the patient group had relatively higher plasma total homocysteine concentration (10.7 +/- 4.2 vs 9.6 +/- 3.5 umol/L), but showed no significant difference. Folate and vitamin B12 concentration are low in the patient group, but showed no significant difference between patient and control group. Plasma total homocysteine concentration showed negative correlation with folate and vitamin B12 in both the control group and the patient group, and showed significantly negative correlation in patient group {r = -0.550 (p<0.01) vs r = -0.609 (p<0.01)}. We knew that the plasma total homocysteine concentration were relatively elevated in patient group compared with the control group. Because plasma total homocysteine concentrations are closely negative correlated with folate and vitamin B12 in the patient group, folate and vitamin B12 supplement can lower the mortality and morbidity of ischemic heart disease.

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[English]
The Effect of Antioxidant Vitamins Supplementation on Blood Pressure, Plasma Lipids, Folate, and Homocysteine Levels in Smokers and Non-Smokers of College Students in the Gyeonggi Area: Su Ra Kim, Hye Sun Min, Ae Wha Ha, Hwa Jin Hyun, Kyung Hee Song; Korean J Community Nutr 2004;9(4):472-482. Published online August 31, 2004

Abstract PDF: This study was performed to investigate the effect of vitamin C and E supplementation on blood pressure, plasma lipids, folate, and homocysteine levels in smokers and non-smokersof college male students in Gyeonggi Area. The nutrient intakes were determined by a 24hr-recall method. The subjects were divided into six groups: vitamin C supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), vitamin E supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), vitamin C and E supplementation group (n: smokers = 10, nonsmokers = 10), respectively. There were no significant differences between the smokers and nonsmokers in terms of anthropometric measurements. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in smokers than that of non-smokers. There was no significant difference in energy and other nutrients intakes between smokers and non-smokers. In plasma lipids levels, smokers had higher plasma triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol concentration than that of non-smokers (p < 0.05). HDL-cholesterol level of smokers had a tendency to be lower than that of nonsmokers. In smokers, AI, TPH, LPH were significantly higher than that of non-smokers (p < 0.01). Plasma folate, homocysteine levels were not significantly different between smokers and non-smokers. The effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation in smokers: In vitamin C supplementation group, HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.01) and AI, TPH, LPH were significantly decreased (p < 0.01). In vitamin E supplementation group, HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.05). In vitamin C and E supplementation group, LPH was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The effect of antioxidant vitamins supplementation in non-smokers: HDL-cholesterol level was significantly increased (p < 0.05) and AI, TPH, LPH were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) by vitamin C supplementation group. Plasma homocysteine level was decreased by vitamin E supplementation group in non-smokers p < 0.01). The results of this study showed that smoking had a tendency to increase plasma lipids levels that factor into the risk of coronary heart disease. It is considered that antioxidant vitamin supplementation in smokers had a tendency to decrease cardiovascular disease than in nonsmokers.

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[English]
Maternal Plasma Homocysteine Levels and Pregnancy Outcomes: Hong Seok Ahn; Korean J Community Nutr 2004;9(4):483-490. Published online August 31, 2004

Abstract PDF: Elevated maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including birth defects, low birth weight, preeclampsia, spontaneous abortion, placental abruption, and other maternal or fetal complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the maternal plasma homocysteine level during pregnancy and to investigate the relationship between the plasma homocysteine concentrations and pregnancy outcomes. Venous blood samples were drawn from 82 pregnant women who were grouped with gestational age, 1st trimester (n = 26), 2nd trimester (n = 27) and 3rd trimester (n = 29). The concentration of plasma homocysteine was analyzed by HPLC, and pregnancy outcomes including gestational length, maternal weight gain, infant birth weight, and Apgar score were collected with the medical records of the pregnant women. The levels of plasma homocysteine of the pregnant women at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester were 5.7 +/- 3.7 micronmol/L, 5.6 +/- 4.1 micronmol/L and 7.0 +/- 4.5 micronmol/L, respectively, which had not showed any significant difference. The result of this study showed that in case of the pregnant women at the 1st trimester, the maternal plasma homocysteine level of the pregnant women whose gestational length was less than 38 weeks was significantly high (p < 0.01) compared to that of the pregnants whose gestational length was more than 38 weeks. And also, the level of homocysteine of the pregnant women at the 2nd trimester was significantly low when the maternal weight gain was high (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that maternal plasma homocysteine level at early stage of gestation will be a predicter of gestational length and maternal weight gain.

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